Tell Me A Story: Happy Birthday

Showing posts with label Happy Birthday. Show all posts

Thursday, April 7, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FIRSTBORN

Mary Marcia

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

TODAY...is April 7....one day before my daughter, Kristin's birthday.

Each year I call and also email Kristin the story of her birth.

I was inspired by Billy Crystal's real-life-mom's early morning birthday calls to her son. Billy featured his mom's birthday calls in the movie, City Slickers.

Here's my birthday letter to my firstborn this year.

April 7, 2016

Kristin,

(With thanks to City Slickers movie dialogue that inspired my annual pre-birthday phone call/email.)

You will be 528 months old tomorrow, April 8, 2016.

I remember the day before you were born: April 7, 1972.

My water broke in the early morning while I was still in bed.

The next door neighbors (Jennie and Ray) at the townhouse heard me yelling through the thin walls - before your dad woke up. He thought I wet the bed.

The doctor's office advised me to stay at home.

My mom, (Mema) came over, and so did Granny Lucille.

Mema cleaned our townhouse.

Granny Lucille made pies.

That's just what they did.

Twenty-four hours later - I went to the hospital.

My regular OB was out of town, and a horrible doctor took his place. Even the nurses didn't like him.

Your head came out while the doctor was hiding out in the doctor's lounge.

Mema banged on the door of the doctor's lounge, and warned him: "If you don't come out and deliver my first grandchild - then I'll do it, and send you the bill."

It was too late for the epidural.

Your dad almost missed your birth when he went home to feed the cat, Billy Jack.

You were born April 8, 1972 - totally bald - with the Norwood nose.

I wondered how I carried you for nine months, and you came out looking like his side of the family.

I fell in love with you immediately.

You will be 44 years old tomorrow, April 8, 2016.
You are a wife and mother, but you will always be my little girl.

I love you,

Mom

My three beautiful daughters:
Sarah, Kristin, and Faith.

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

Mary Marcia

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FIRSTBORN

Mary Marcia
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

TODAY...is April 7....one day before my daughter, Kristin's birthday.

Each year I call and also email Kristin the story of her birth.

I was inspired by Billy Crystal's real-life-mom's early morning birthday calls to her son. Billy featured his mom's birthday calls in the movie, City Slickers.

Here's my birthday letter to my firstborn this year.

April 7, 2015

Kristin,

(With THANKS to City Slickers movie dialogue that inspired my annual pre-birthday phone call/email.)

You will be 516 months old tomorrow, April 8, 2015.

I remember the day before you were born: April 7, 1972.

My water broke in the early morning while I was still in bed.

The next door neighbors (Jennie and Ray) at the townhouse heard me yelling through the thin walls - before your dad woke up. He thought I wet the bed.

The doctor's office advised me to stay at home.

My mom, (Mema) came over, and so did Granny Lucille.

Mema cleaned our townhouse.

Granny Lucille made pies.

That's just what they did.

Twenty-four hours later - I went to the hospital.

My regular OB was out of town, and a horrible doctor took his place. Even the nurses didn't like him.

Your head came out while the doctor was hiding out in the doctor's lounge.

Mema banged on the door of the doctor's lounge, and warned him: "If you don't come out and deliver my first grandchild - then I'll do it, and send you the bill."

It was too late for the epideral.

Your dad almost missed your birth when he went home to feed the cat, Billy Jack.

You were born April 8, 1972 - totally bald - with the Norwood nose.

I wondered how I carried you for nine months, and you came out looking like his side of the family.

I fell in love with you immediately.

You will be 43 years old tomorrow, April 8, 2015 - and you are a wife and mother, but you will always be my little girl.

I love you,

Mom

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

Mary Marcia

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Monday, April 7, 2014

A LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

A LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER...

MY FIRSTBORN

NOTE: With THANKS to Billy Crystal (City Slickers movie) who inspired my annual birthday phone call to my daughter, Kristin.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101587/trivia

Another true story from Billy Crystal's life is the wake up call from his mother on his birthday. According to Billy in the DVD Commentary, in real life, his mother would call him on his birthday at around 5 o'clock in the morning (the time he was born) and verbally re-enact the event over the phone. The rendition in the film is word-for-word the true story of Billy Crystal's birth.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.movies.com/city-slickers/m12705

Dear Kristin,

You will be 504 months old tomorrow, April 8, 2014.

I remember the day before you were born: April 7, 1972.

My water broke in the early morning while I was still in bed.

Jeannie and Ray, our next door neighbors at the townhouse heard me yelling through the thin walls - before your dad (who was sound asleep right next to me) woke up. He insisted I wet the bed, and refused to get up.

I called the doctor's office, and they advised me to stay at home.

My mom (Mema) and Granny Lucille came to the rescue.

Mema cussed, and cleaned our townhouse.

Granny Lucille made pies.

That's just what they did.

Twenty-four hours later - I went to the hospital.

My regular OB/GYN was out of town, and a horrible doctor took his place: not one nurse liked him. (He was later fired.)

Your head came out while the doctor hid out in the doctor's lounge.

Mema banged repeatedly on the door of the doctor's lounge, and warned him: "If you don't come out and deliver my first grandchild - then I'll do it, and send you the bill."

It was too late for drugs or an epidural.

Your dad almost missed your birth when he went home to feed the demon-cat, Billy Jack.

You were born April 8, 1972: totally bald - and totally beautiful - wearing the Norwood nose.

I wondered how I carried you for nine months, and you came out looking like his side of the family.

I fell in love with you immediately.

You will be 504 months old (that's 42 years) tomorrow, April 8, 2014.

Happy Birthday to my first-born.

You are a beautiful wife to Dave, and mother to Joshua, Emily and Caleb, but you will always be my little girl.

I love you,

Mom

Emily Grace & Kristin. Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood

Kristin, Emily, Dave, Joshua. Copyright 2000 Marcia Norwood

Joshua, Emily, Santa, Caleb, David, Kristin. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Joshua, Kristin, Emily and Caleb. Copyright 2006 Marcia Norwood

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

Marcia Norwood
Kristin's Mom
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Friday, January 17, 2014

CELEBRATE SARAH!

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

CELEBRATE SARAH!

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Today we celebrate you.

I'm so glad God chose me to be your mom.

The first day I met you,
you were five years and 11 months old.
You organized the "counting bears" in order,
according to color and size.

You continue to put things in order
at home, at school and at work.

You are

beautiful,

fashionable,

and
fiesty.

You are God's girl,
and have always had the gift
of discernment.

You know right from wrong,
and good from evil.

My prayer for you on your birthday,

is that you will continue

to walk on the narrow path

that God has put before you.

I'm asking God to give you

the desires of your heart.

I'm asking you to listen to His small voice,

so that the desires of your heart

will line up with His destiny for you.

Sometimes it's hard to wait on God,

but He promises:

"The Lord is a sun and shield;

God is favor and glory.

The Lord gives - doesn't withhold - good things

to those who walk with integrity."

Psalm 84:11

Common English Bible

You inspire me, Sarah Norwood.

You make me laugh

with your wicked sense of humor.

Our family wouldn't be complete without you.

Today - we celebrate you!

Here are some photos of your amazing life!

Our family needed you, just as much as you needed us!

You were adopted from China in December 1999,

and even with the dossier that took us months to complete,

with notarized, certified and authenticated documents

from the United States and China...

even with all that paperwork you,

and other adopted children were not automatically

American citizens at the time of your adoption.

We worked with other adoptive families,

and our congressmen to change the law.

"We parents, sibling...and families

throughout the nation who have experienced the JOY of

international adoption...

celebrated the passage of H.R. 2883,

Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

One Hundred Sixth Congress of the United States of America."

The law passed in 2000, took effect in 2001.

February 27, 2001, was designated

as a day in our nation's history when the largest number

of children became United States Citizens.

You, Sarah, are one of those children.

KMBC TV 9 (Kansas City, Missouri)

sent a television reporter, Maria Antonio,

to interview you and our family on this historic event.

Maria understood something of what you experienced,

because she left Cuba on a boat,

and came to the United States with her parents

when she was about 7 years old.

Despite the fact you were finally recognized

as an American Citizen,

it took our government over a year

to come up with a form,

and a way to give you and other proof of your citizenship.

Finally - in 2011 - after multiple phone calls, and multiple visits to the INS office - we paid an additional $1,000 plus each for you and your sister for PROOF of your citizenship. You already had an American passport, and a state birth certificate, but you needed a Certificate of Citizenship. No one at the immigration office ever heard of the Child Citizenship Act.

We returned to China in 2002,

to adopt your sister, Faith Fu Ju.

You might not have known each other

if not for the miracle of adoption.

You shine at your part-time job at Hy-Vee!

You represented all Hy-Vee stores

in the Kansas City Metropolitan area

at the Missouri competition!

Congratulations for winning best girl in the state!

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend.

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

READ MORE: Type "Sarah" in the SEARCH BOX at the top right of my blog for links with more of Sarah's amazing stories.

Here's a link for one of Sarah's stories:

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2012/01/he-is-greater-than-mountains.html

Marcia's story about Sarah's adoption was published in...

Chicken Soup To Inspire The Body and Soul
Edited by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,

Dan Millman, Diana von Welanetz Wentworth
ISBN # 0-7573-0141-X
Marcia's Story: The Beautiful Girl in the Mirror" - Page 233

Tell Me A Story

TELL ME A STORY

Thursday, April 7, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FIRSTBORN

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FIRSTBORN

Monday, April 7, 2014

A LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER

Friday, January 17, 2014

CELEBRATE SARAH!

AMERICA'S STORYTELLER, Marcia Norwood